Sommer holidays in the Alps

Mountains, mountains, mountains

Three weeks sommer holidays in the alps at three different places for hiiking, paragliding (not me!) and sketching. For someone who lives in Hamburg, where the highest hill has 90 meters, the world of mountains is exiting. I have to get used to the hights above me or the depth beyond me. This big nature is very impressive. 

In the first week we stayed in a simple little wooden house 

with a small garden, 

and a typical living room.

I love hiking in the mountains. I love the green smooth alms, the lakes, the silence and the fresh air. But the real highlights are the mountain-huts, where you get the best Kaiserschmarrn or Apfelstrudel.

One week of the three we spent in Feltre, Italy. While Gu was driving up with his paragliding group to the top, taking off and flying above this beautiful erea, 

I drove down to explore with my sketchbook the town Feltre,

and its surrounding. 

Life there was still under the shadow of Corona. Some bars and shops where
closed and everybody was going around with a mask…

 

My highest sketching point at 2443 m 

My hero :)

Algodonales 2019

My husband cannot imagine an October without being in Algodonales. He is a paraglider and this small town in Andalusia is famous for its good conditions for paragliding. The area is also famous for the large amount of vultures who live there. They even fly beside the paragliders - making this an unforgettable experience. I am happy to accompany him. During the day, while he is in the air, I have time for sketching.

Since it was the third time for me in „Algo“ (here are the previous posts from 2018 and 2016) it was a little bit like coming home. The long plaza with two rows of orange trees in front of the church is still the center of life. 

At any given time in the day there is a different activity there. 

Siesta time. The Plaza is empty

My favorite time is between 18:00 and 20:00, when the temperature cools off, and everybody shows up there. Small groups of men, couples and old people with their helpers are walking up and down the plaza. Kids are playing all over, while their parents are sitting on benches.

I loved the view from our window. Again and again I tried to catch the exceptional light. While looking at these sketches I still hear the sounds of cocks and chickens, which had whoken us up every day…

Every morning we had breakfast and every evening we had a meal with some of the pilots in one of the bars in the Plaza.

I was lucky this time. There was another non-gliding wife in our group and - unbelievably - she also liked sketching and had a sketchbook and pencils with her! So we spent the time together moving from one shaded spot to another, sketching in Algodonales and enjoying every minute of it.  

We also visited Ronda,

Zahara,

and Grazalema.

Next October is already booked :)

Algodonales

My husband often goes to Algodonales in Andalusia for the paragliding. Two years ago I spent three days there with him. I liked it so much that I was really looking forward to be there again for a whole week with him.

Algodonales is a small town and is one of the White Villages (Pueblos Blancos), but is not as pretty and touristic as the neighboring villages of Zahara or Olvera. But the town is famous for the optimum conditions for paragliding. Thats why it is a very lively place, typically spanish without any touristic attractions.

I had a wonderful week. Every morning we had breakfast with some of the pilots in one of the bars in the Plaza. 

Afterwords they disappeared and I had the day for myself with my sketchbook and many interesting encounters.

Once, as I was settling myself on my stool, a lady came from her house and was worried that I was not allright. She thought that I had sat down because I didn’t feel well. She offered me Cola or water and showed me where she lived in case I needed anything.

I sketched the Plaza during the siesta. It was just wonderful, I was sitting there for a long time, maybe 3 hours, on a bench under a shadey lemon tree enjoying the stillness. Another older lady came to watch what I was doing. She was amazed and showed me her house in the sketch „mi casa, mi casa“. 2 paraglider came by every half hour to check the development of the sketch.

As I was drawing this narrow street a woman who lived in the house nearby realized, that I was not comfortable on my little stool. She brought me a chair from her house. Other women passed by, saw what I was doing and showed me their hands which were spotted with color. I understood, that they had just come from painting classes.

After a couple of days I was often greeted in a very friendly way by passesby as if they knew me. 

One day I visited Zahara, on another

Olvera. I couldn’t get enough of this view of these White Villages. Below the colorful church the white houses splashed with yellow tumbled down the hill.

 

During the late afternoons I often used to go to the landing field. As each pilot landed Pepe was there with his drinks cart offering each a cold beer. The atmosphere was a mixture of an exitement and relief in the evening sun.

In the evening it became social again on the plaza with tapas and vino tinto.